LOOKING AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Is 43: 16 – 21 / Ps 126 / Phil 3: 8 – 14 / Jn 8: 1 – 11

Since we do not come from one mother, then, we look at things differently. For example, what do you see in this picture?

For some they might see a rabbit while others may see a duck with a long beak. How about this picture, what do you see?

For those who love to drink, they would probably see a cup filled with wine. However, for those Dolce Amore fanatics, they would surely see Serena and Ten-Ten almost kissing each other. We do not only see things differently; we also understand things and events differently. For example, on the prospect of Duterte becoming the President of the Philippines: for some it will be a blessing while others may consider it a curse! Indeed, we see things differently. We understand realities differently.

In our Gospel today, we meet a woman caught in the act of committing adultery. And so, this woman was brought by the scribes and Pharisees to Jesus and made her stand before him. For the scribes and Pharisees, they look at the woman as a sinner and therefore punishable by death according to the Law of Moses. However, we know from the same Gospel story that Jesus looked at the woman differently. Jesus looked at her with the eyes of mercy and forgiveness. Indeed, Jesus understand the Law of Moses differently. For him, love is supreme of all laws. Hence, as he stood up after writing something on the ground, seeing no one else left except the woman, he forgave her and admonished her not to sin anymore.

My dear friends, this is also true in our spiritual life. We look at the things of God differently. We understand the things of God differently. For example, in this season of Lent, in this Year of Mercy, we are called to practice, to put to life, Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness. Now, the question is: how do you look at the call to forgive? Well, for some, it’s easy to forgive. Dali masuko apan dali ra sad mahuwasan. For others, it’s very difficult to forgive. Moingon dayon ang uban, “moputi nalang na'ng uwak, di gyud ko makapasylo nimo!” In fact, still others, kaya ra gyud nila ang magbinungolay sa usa’g usa hangtod sa kamatayon. Indeed, we look at things differently. See how we tend to understand things differently?

However, my dear friends, as followers of Christ, we are called to look at things, to understand things, as Jesus see them, as Jesus understand them. If Jesus understand forgiveness as something that must be done seventy times seven times, then, we have to practice it in our lives. If Jesus understand loving as something that is for all, then, we love not just the lovable but even the mga pangit… kanang mga bati na'g nawong, bati pa gyu'g batasan. If Jesus understand generosity as giving your all, then, we give our all and not on installment basis.

Yes, we look at things differently. But as children of the Father, as brothers and sisters of Jesus, we must look at things and understand things according to the mind and heart of Jesus.

Just recently, America magazine published a story of a woman named Jeanne – an attorney – who forgave the murderer of her sister, her sister’s husband, and her sister’s unborn child. It was an intentional killing. And what was worse, the murderer did not show any sign of remorse. When asked what moved her to forgive the murderer, she said, that she was deeply moved by the words she recite every Mass – “You take away the sins of the world.” For her, a person must not allow the sin of someone to freeze or stay unforgiven. For her, no matter what a person does, we must be ready to take away his/ her sins.

For me, Jeanne is an example of someone who see things and understand things according to the mind and heart of Jesus. Yes, I agree with you – to forgive is something very difficult. But we also have to remember that it is very very possible.

How about you? How do you look at things? How do you understand things? Are your eyes like the eyes of Jesus? Is your mind like the mind of Jesus? Is your heart like the heart of Jesus? Amen.

Photo taken from lifeondoverbeach.wordpress.com

Special thanks to Kuya Chris Sagun for editing the text.